From the Holy Buddhist Tipitaka: Itivuttaka – The Group of Threes, Part 1 of 2

Buddha Gautama, also known as Shakyamuni Buddha, was a great spiritual Master from ancient India. The rich treasury of Buddha’s spiritual doctrine on universal truths are studied and revered to this day for their deep wisdom and compassion. The Itivuttaka, which means “as it was said” in Pali, is a Buddhist scripture and part of the recollection of Buddha’s discourses. It is considered as one of the earliest of all Buddhist scriptures. “What are the three elements of escape?” “What are the three kinds of people found existing in the world?” “What are the three joyous utterances?”